Adjustable overhang construction apparatus

ABSTRACT

Construction apparatus for use in supporting structure overhanging to one side of a support member is provided including engagable means for coupling to a lower portion of the support member, carrier means for providing a vertically movable coupling between the overhead structure and the engaging means, and adjustable members each coupled at one end to the engaging means and at the other end to the carrier means for moving the carrier means to support the overhang structure in a predetermined relationship to the support member.

United States Patent 1191 Hood et a1.

[ Jan. 21, 1975 1 ADJUSTABLE OVERHANG CONSTRUCTION APPARATUS [75] Inventors: Bobby Jack Hood, Decatur, Ga.;

Claude Don Hawkins, Mobile, Ala.

[73] Assignee: Moss-Thornton Company, Inc.,

Leeds, Ala.

22 Filed; July3l, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 276,379

3,286,972 11/1966 Jackson 249/24 3,584,825 6/1971 Williams 249/23 3,605,944 9/1971 Rogers et al.. 182/82 3,628,765 12/1971 Sanders 249/24 Primary Examiner-J. Franklin Foss Attorney, Agent, or FirmDorfman, Hcrrcll & Skillman [57] ABSTRACT Construction apparatus for use in supporting structure overhanging to one side of a support member is provided including engagable means for coupling to a lower portion of the support member, carrier means for providing a vertically movable coupling between the overhead structure and the engaging means, and adjustable members each coupled at one end to the engaging means and at the other end to the carrier [56] References Cited means for moving the carrier means to support the UNITED STATES TS overhang structure in a predetermined relationship to 1,186,614 6/1916 Smith 249/25 th support member. 1,322,370 11/1919 Strathern 1 24/243 D UX 1,473,677 11 1923 Hoffman 287/60 26 8 Drawmg Flgures 450W /?Z'\\LEL/J6 a; E i 45- ,K/[

wag M PAT EmfnJAuz I 1975 SHEEI 2 OF 3 PATENTEumznsrs I 4.

sum 30F 3 FIG. 5.

ADJUSTABLE OVERHANG CONSTRUCTION APPARATUS The present invention relates to apparatus for use in supporting structure overhanging to one side of a support member, and more particularly, to bridge construction apparatus for use in supporting structure forming the overhang portion of a bridge roadway to one side of a beam.

There are many applications in which it is desirable to provide an adjustable and reusable construction apparatus for supporting structure overhanging to one side of a support member. Such construction apparatus is particularly desirable in the construction of bridges, buildings and the like. The type of construction with which the present invention is primarily concerned is the building of bridge roadways, and, particularly, the overhang or marginal portion of the bridge roadway, which may include a sidewalk.

Many difficulties have been experienced in the erection of construction apparatus to support the overhang portion of a bridge roadway and usually each bridge installation presents its own unique problems requiring special material and skills in building suitable construction apparatus. The bridge construction apparatus usually includes support frames and forms to support and mold concrete, for example, used for the bridge roadway. In the prior art, it has been conventional to employ wooden support frames and forms to support the overhang portion of the roadway and such arrangements have required large amounts of lumber, which must be cut to size and most of the assembly of the structure performed at the bridge site. Furthermore, after the roadway is formed, the lumber cannot be removed as a unit but must be taken down in such a manner that much of it is not reusable.

More recent bridge overhang support frames have been designed with metal members but these systems employ brackets, bolts and rods which extend over the top of the bridge beam and connect with members on the top or far side of the bridge beam. In these arrangements, once the concrete roadway has been poured and sets, the brackets, bolts, rods or other support structure which extends over the top surface of the bridge beam is imbedded in the concrete roadway and cannot be removed. The cost of labor in erecting such systems has been expensive and the parts of the system that remain imbedded in the concrete roadway are not reusable. Furthermore, these systems have not been as strong and versatile as desired and, in many instances, have required special adaptation of the bridge beams in order to employ the systems.

In accordance with the present invention, a construction apparatus is provided which is adjustable over a wide range to be usable from one bridge installation to another. The construction apparatus according to the present invention is indefinitely reusable and requires a minimum of adjustment for erection and stripping from the bridge beams, thereby reducing labor costs. The present construction apparatus provides a rigid and strong support frame for the forms and overhang portion of the bridge roadway, while being capable of easy adjustment to a final predetermined relationship to the bridge beam, in order to support the overhang portion of the roadway at a desired elevation with respect to the bridge beam.

In accordance with the present invention, these and other objectives are achieved by providing a new and improved construction apparatus with novel features which cooperate to accomplish the above objectives. The present construction apparatus for use in supporting structure overhanging to one side of a bridge beam, which has a lower portion with side flanges, comprising engaging means for being secured to the lower portion of the beam and carrier means for providing a vertically movable coupling between the overhang structure and the engaging means. At least two adjustable members are provided, each connected at one end to the engaging means and at the other end to the carrier means for moving the carrier means to support the overhang structure in a predetermined relationship to the bridge beam. in this arrangement, the apparatus of the invention is held in operative position and releasable from the bridge beam without being connected to the upper portion of the bridge beam. Preferably, the engaging means is provided by clamping means adapted to secure the apparatus to the flanges of the lower portion of the bridge beam.

According to a preferred feature of the invention, the engaging means includes a bracing member adapted to extend beneath the lower portion of the bridge beam. The engaging means further includes a first clamping member connected to the bracing member on one side of the bridge beam and extending in overlying relation to one of the flanges and a second clamping member connected to the bracing member on the other side of the bridge beam and extending in overlying relation to the other of the flanges to firmly hold the construction apparatus to the lower portion of the bridge beam. in this arrangement, one of the clamping members includes locking means for permitting pivoted movement of the clamping member relative to the bracing member for quick connection and removal of the construction apparatus from the bridge beam.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least two adjustable members include a first adjustable member connected at one end to the carrier means and at its other end to the clamping member on the overhang side of the bridge beam, a second adjustable member laterally spaced from the first adjustable member and connected at one end to the carrier means and at its other end to the bracing member, and a third adjustable member connected at one end to the carrier means and at its other end to one of the clamping members and bracing member, the third adjustable member being oriented at an angle to the first and second adjustable members.

The construction apparatus of the invention is capable of use on different bridge installations with a minimum of adjustment and without requiring changing of or new components. The present construction apparatus will also accommodate variations in heights of bridge beams and desired roadway elevations. The construction apparatus, although rigid and strong, is extremely simple to adjust and is indefinitely reusable to greatly simplify erection of the overhang portion of a bridge roadway.

For a better understanding of these and other features and advantages of the present invention, reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a bridge support beam having the construction apparatus in accordance with the present invention secured thereto for supporting structure for forming the overhang portion of a bridge roadway;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the bridge support beam and showing the construction apparatus of the present invention secured to the lower portion of the beam and supporting structure forming the overhang portion of the bridge roadway taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the construction apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of one of the adjustable members taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the lower portion of the bridge beam and showing removal of the construction apparatus of FIG. 2 from the bridge beam;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the lower portion of a metal bridge support I-beam with an alternative form of the engaging means for use in securing the construction apparatus to the metal I-beam and showing one of the parts of one of the clamping members in alternative positions for holding and releasing the clamping member from the I-beam;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the construction apparatus of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 7 but showing one of the clamping members in its released position for removing the construction apparatus from the I-beam.

The adjustable overhang construction apparatus of the present invention for use in supporting structure overhanging to one side of a support member, although capable of use in supporting overhang structure from a wide variety of different types of support members in a variety of different applications, is shown and described in use with a bridge support beam for forming the overhang portion of a bridge roadway on one side of the bridge support beam.

There is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 a fragmentary portion of a bridge installation which includes a support column or pillar 1, which is arranged to support a transverse beam or cap 2 resting on one or more suitable columns 1. The transverse beam or cap 2, in turn, supports a series of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending bridge support I-beams 4; only the outermost row of I-beams 4 on one side of the bridge structure is shown for illustrating erection of the overhang portion of the bridge roadway. The I-beams 4, which are conventional concrete I-beams, include a central vertical portion 6, an upper portion 8 having flanges 8a and 8b on opposite sides, and a lower portion 10 having flanges 10a and 10b on opposite sides, as shown in FIG. 2. In accordance with the present invention, a plurality of adjustable construction apparatus, each generally designated 12, are shown secured to the bridge support I-beam 4 for use in forming the overhang portion 14 of a bridge roadway 16, which is shown made of concrete. The construction apparatus 12 provides a support frame for overhang structure supported on one side of I-beam 4. The overhang structure in this instance is construction form 18 used to mold the overhang portion 14 of the bridge roadway in a desired configuration. The construction form 18 is conventional in detail and includes a series of longitudinal joists 20 extending between the support frames 12, wood panels 22 and wedges 24. The support frames 12 secured to I-beam 4 supports the construction form 18 and overhang portion 14 of the roadway. The support frame 12 supports the construction form I8 to accurately mold the overhang portion 14 of the roadway in the desired configuration and elevation. As shown in FIG. I, the support frames 12 of the invention are spaced about 4 feet apart along I-beams 4 to support the wooden overhang construction form 18, which is preferably made in 8 foot sections.

The adjustable construction apparatus or support frame 12 of the present invention is preferably made of steel and broadly comprises engaging means 30 for being secured to the lower portion 10 of I-beam 4; carrier means 32 for providing a vertically movable coupling between the overhang structure I8 and the engaging means 30; and, in this example, a first adjustable member 34, a second adjustable member 36 and a third adjustable member 38. Each of the adjustable members 34, 36 and 38 is pivotably connected at one end to engaging means 30 and at the other end to carrier means 32 for moving the carrier means to support the construction form 18 in a predetermined relationship to support beam 4. More specifically, the engaging means 30 provides clamping means secured to flanges 10a and 10b of I-beam 4 and comprises a bracing member 40 adapted to extend beneath lower portion 10 of I-beam 4, a first clamping member 42 connected to the bracing member on one side of lower portion I0 of I-beam 4 and a second clamping member 44 connected to the bracing member on the other side of lower portion 10 of I-beam 4. Clamping member 42 extends around or in overlying relation to lower flange 10a of l-beam 4. Clamping member 44 is located on the overhang side of I-beam 4 and extends around or in overlying relation to lower flange 10b of I-beam 4.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, bracing member 40 is provided by a tubular steel beam, which is rectangular in cross-section. Bracing member 40 extends beneath the lower portion 10 of l-beam 4 on opposite sides thereof and extends outwardly a distance on the overhang side of I-beam 4 to support adjustable member 38, which is connected at one end to bracing member 40 and at the other end to carrier means 32. Clamping member 42 comprises a pair of side plates 46 and 48 which are positioned on opposite sides of bracing member 40 and are spaced apart by strengthening ribs 50. The side plates 46 and 48 are fixed to bracing member 40 by bolts 52 and 54 extending through plates 46 and 48 and bracing member 40. Bracing member 40 has longitudinally extending slots 53 and 55 through which bolts 52 and 54, respectively, extend through bracing member 40, as shown in FIG. 5. Slots 53 and 55 provide a means for adjustment of clamping member 42 to allow for variations in the width of or imperfections in the lower portions of I-beams when clamping the clamping members thereto. The sides of plates 46 and 48 adjacent lower I-beam flange 10a are formed to conform to the shape of the side and top surfaces of flange 10a and have annular face plate 56 connected thereto, as by welding, to contact the side and top surfaces of lower flange 10a.

Similarly, clamping member 44 comprises side plates 58 and 60 which are positioned on opposite sides of bracing member 40 and are spaced apart by strengthening ribs 62. The side plates 58 and 60 of clamping member 44 are fixed to bracing member 40 by bolts 64 and 66 extending through plates 58 and 60 and bracing member 40, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The side of plates 58 and 60 adjacent lower I-beam flange 10b are formed to conform to the shape of the side and top surfaces of flange b and have angular face plate 68 welded therebetween to contact the side and top surfaces of lower I-beam flange 10b. When clamping members 42 and 44 are fixed as shown in FIG. 2, the support frame 12 is securely clamped to lower portion 10 of I-beam 4.

A brace 70 is employed between the lower portions of clamping members 42 and 44 under bracing member to firmly secure the clamping members against the [beam Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, side plates 46 and 48 of clamping member 42 extend downwardly a distance below bracing member 40 and have metal spacer block 72 inserted therebetween. Spacer block 72 is held in position by bolts 74 extending through plates 46 and 48 and block 72. Similarly, side plates 58 and of clamping member 44 extend downwardly a distance below bracing member 40 and have metal spacer block 76 positioned therebetween. Spacer block 76 is held in position by bolt 77 passing through plates 58 and 60 and block 76. Spacer blocks 72 and 76 each has connected thereto, as by welding, a threaded shank 78 and 80, respectively, the threaded shanks 78 and 80 extending toward each other and being threaded in opposite directions. A tubular pipe 82 extends between threaded shanks 78 and 80 and is adapted to receive the threaded shanks within its axial opening. Oppositely threaded nuts 84 and 86 are secured, as by welding, to the ends of tubular pipe 82 and are adapted to receive mating threaded shanks 78 and 80, respectively. In this arrangement, brace 70 provides an extendable member between the lower ends of the clamping members 42 and 44 for exerting pressure on the clamping members to urge clamping member 42 about bolts 52 and 54 in slots 53 and 55, respectively, when the bolts are loosened and against flange 10a of I-beam 4. It will be appreciated that rotation of tubular pipe 82 in one direction will urge clamping members 42 and 44 against the flanges 10a and 10b, respectively, whereas rotation of tubular pipe 82 in the opposite direction will urge clamping members 42 and 44 away from flanges 10a and 10b, respectively, and particularly clamping member 42 away from flange 10a of I-beam Carrier means 32, as previously mentioned, provides a vertically movable coupling between overhang construction form 18 and engaging means 30, which includes clamping members 42 and 44 and bracing member 40. In this example, the carrier means is provided by two elongated support bars 90 and 92, which are L- shaped in cross-section. Bars 90 and 92 are positioned adjacent each other with one of their legs extending downwardly and separated by spacer plates 94 positioned therebetween and the other of their legs extending outwardly in opposite directions to provide the top supporting surface of carrier means 32 on which construction form 18 is supported. The L-shaped bars 90 and 92 with spacer plates 94 therebetween are held together by welding or other suitable means.

Vertical movement and orientation of carrier means 32 with respect to clamping or engaging means 30 is provided by adjustable members 34, 36 and 38. Each of adjustable members 34, 36 and 38 includes two telescopic sleeves for varying the length of the adjustable members, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Specifically, adjustable member 34 has outer cylindrical tubular sleeve I00 and coaxial inner tubular sleeve 102 which are secured together by bolt 104 extending through one of a series of holes 106 in outer sleeve and one of mating aligned series of holes 108 through inner sleeve 102. Adjustable member 36 has outer cylindrical tubular sleeve 110 and coaxial inner tubular sleeve 112 which are secured together by bolt I14 passing through one ofa series of holes 116 in outer sleeve 110 and one of mating aligned series of holes 118 in inner sleeve 112. Adjustable member 38 has outer cylindrical tubular sleeve I20 and coaxial inner tubular sleeve 122 which are secured together by bolt I24 extending through one of a series of holes 126 in outer sleeve and one of mating series of holes 128 in inner sleeve 122.

The adjustable members 34, 36 and 38 are provided with means to permit further fine adjustment of their lengths. Adjustable member 34 is pivotally connected to carrier means 32 by U-shaped bracket 130 extending on opposite sides of the carrier means and having pivot bolt 132 extending through bracket 130 and carrier means 32, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. A threaded shank 134 is secured to bracket 130, as by welding, and extends into inner tubular sleeve 102, which is headed by nut 136 welded to the free end of inner sleeve 102 to mate with threaded shank 134. The other end of adjustable member 34 is pivotably connected to bracket 138 of clamping member 44 by U-shaped bracket 140 extending on opposite sides of the upstanding portion of bracket 138 and receiving pivot bolt 142 through brackets 138 and 140. Bracket 140 has threaded shank 144 welded thereto and extending within outer sleeve 100, which is headed by nut 145 welded to the free end of outer sleeve 100 to mate with threaded shank 144. Threaded shank 134 and mating nut 136 are oppositely threaded from shank 144 and mating nut 146 of adjustable member 34 so that turning of one of the pinned sleeves 100 and 102 of adjustable member 34 in opposite directions will move the carrier means 32 away from and toward clamping member 44.

Adjustable member 38 is similar to adjustable member 34 and is pivotably connected to carrier means 32 by U-shaped bracket 150 extending on opposite sides of bars 90 and 92 and having pivot bolt 152 extending therethrough and through one of a series of holes 154 through carrier means 32. Bracket 150 has threaded shank 156 welded thereto to extend within inner sleeve 122, which is headed by nut 158 welded to the free end of inner sleeve 122 and mating with threaded shank 156. The other end of adjustable member 38 is pivotably connected to bracing member 40 by U-shaped bracket 160 extending on opposite sides of bracing member 40 and pivot bolt 162 extending through bracket 160 and bracing member 40. Threaded shank 164 welded to bracket 160 extends within outer sleeve 120, which is headed by nut 166 welded to the free end of outer sleeve 120 and mating with threaded shank 164. Threaded shank 156 and nut 158 are oppositely threaded from shank 164 and nut 166 so that rotating one of the pinned sleeves 120 and 122 in opposite directions will extend and retract adjustable member 38 to move carrier means 32 away from or toward bracing member 40.

In the arrangement of support frame 12 in FIGS. 2 and 3, the adjustable member 36 serves as a brace between the engaging means 30 and carrier means 32 to prevent pivoted movement about the pivot points of adjustable members 34 and 38, thereby securely holding the carrier means adjacent the top flange of the beam. Therefore, adjustable member 36 is oriented at an angle to adjustable members 34 and 38 to brace carrier means 32. For this purpose, adjustable member 36 is pivotedly connected by U-shaped bracket 170, which extends on opposite sides of bracket 140, to pivot bolt 142. Bracket 170 has threaded shank 172 welded thereto and extending within outer sleeve 110, which is headed by nut 174 welded to the end of outer sleeve 110 and mating with threaded shank 172. The other end of adjustable member 136 is pivotedly connected to carrier means 32 by U-shaped bracket 178 extending on opposite sides of bars 90 and 92 and held to the bars by pivot bolt 180 passing through one of the holes 154 in bars 90 and 92. Bracket 178 has threaded shank 182 welded thereto and extending within inner sleeve 112, which is headed by nut 184 welded to the end of inner sleeve 112 and mating with threaded shank 182. As with the other adjustable members, shank 172 and nut 174 are oppositely threaded from shank 182 and nut 184 so that rotation of pinned sleeves 110 and 112 in opposite directions extends and retracts adjustable member 36.

When the adjustable support frame 12 is in operative position, clamped to bottom flanges a and 10b of I- beam 4, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the carrier means 32 and bracing member 40 may extend 4 feet or more outwardly from the supporting I-beam to support the overhang construction form structure 18. The adjustable support frame 12 of steel in accordance with the present invention weighs approximately 150 pounds and the construction form structure of wood weighs approximately 10 to pounds per square foot. The concrete deck forming the overhang portion 14 of the bridge roadway is generally poured to a thickness of 7 /2 to 8 inches and weighs approximately 150 pounds per square foot. It should be appreciated that the adjustable support frame 12 provides a rigid and strong support structure which can be quickly and easily erected for use and, after the concrete roadway has been poured and sets, can be quickly and easily stripped from the beam for reuse at another location.

In erecting the bridge overhang support frame 12, bolts 52 and 74 are removed so that extendable member 70 and clamping member 42 are pivoted downwardly to the positions shown in the frangmentary view of FIG. 5, the structure of support frame 10 not shown in FIG. 5 being arranged in accordance with FIG. 2. The overhang support frame can be maneuvered into position with respect to I-beam 4 by cables from an overhead carrier, such as a crane or the like (not shown). It is preferable that the support frames be spaced along I-beams 4 approximately 4 feet apart and that construction form 18 be built in 8 foot lengths or sections, as viewed in FIG. 1. In this arrangement, two support frames 12 support each section of construction form 18, as shown in FIG. 1, and each section of construction form 18 is fixed to the carrier means of the two support frames. Each support frame 12 is maneuvered into the position to have contact plate 68 of clamping member 44 engage the side and top surfaces of I-beam flange 10b and bracing member 40 adjacent the bottom surface of l-beam 4. In this position, clamping member 42 is rotated about pivot bolt 54 to have its contact plate 56 engage the side and top surfaces of l-beam flange 10a, so that bolt 52 can be inserted through clamping member 42 and bracing member 40.

When bolt 52 is fixed in position, clamping members 42 and 44 are secured around lower flanges 10a and 10b of I-beam 4, as shown in FIG. 2. Extendable member is moved into operative position and bolts 74 inserted through sides 46 and 48 of clamping member 42 and block 72. Since there is play at bolts 52 and 54 in slots 53 and 55, respectively, of the bracing member 40, tubular sleeve 82 is rotated to pivot clamping members 42 about the bolts to have clampings members 42 and 44 more tightly clamp against lower flanges 10a and 10b.

After clamping members 42 and 44 are secured to lower portion 10 of l-beam 4, carrier means 32 may need to be adjusted to support construction form 18, which is later positioned on carrier means 32, at a desired height and elevation with respect to the top of beam 4. If substantial adjustment of carrier means 32 is necessary, bolts 104, 114 and 124 through adjustable members 34, 36 and 38, respectively, are removed and the adjustable members extended or retracted by workmen, as desired. The workmen are preferably supported by an electric hoist unit operating a suitable platform beneath the bridge support beams. When the carrier means 32 is positioned relative to the top flange 8b of the I-beam 4 near where desired, the bolts 104 and 114 can be inserted through convenient aligned openings in the sleeves of adjustable members 34 and 36, respectively. Then adjustable members 34 and 36 can be pivoted about pivot bolt 142 and sleeves 120 and 122 of adjustable member 38 can be slid or rotated relative to one another until aligned openings appear therebetween so that bolt 124 can be inserted therethrough. Thereafter, fine adjustment of adjustable members 34, 36 and 38 may be made by rotating the sleeves 100, and 120, respectively, to position carrier means 32 in a predetermined relationship to beam 4. Preformed sections of the overhang construction form 18 of wood can now be positioned on two of the overhang support frames 12, as previously explained and shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Of course, there is sufficient play in the adjustable members 34, 36 and 38 so that they can be easily rotated for adjustment without requiring each of the adjustable members 34, 36 and 38 to be rotated at a set rate in order to prevent continuous binding between the adjustable members inhibiting further rotation of one or more of the adjustable members.

While the above manner of set-up or erection of support frames 12 and sections of construction form 18 may be employed and was described to simply illustrate operation of the invention, it is preferable to preassemble a section of construction form 18 to two support frames 12, fixing the section of construction form 18 to the carrier means of the two support frames 12. In this arrangement, the support frames, while still at ground level, can be adjusted so that the construction form is positioned at the approximate desired height and elevation with respect to bracing member 40. This adjustment is made by telescoping adjustable members 34, 36 and 38 as described above. Thereafter, the section of construction form with the two or more support frames is raised into operative position with an I-beam by a suitable crane or the like, so that the clamping members of the support frames can be secured to the lbeams. After the clamping members and safety extendable members are secured in fixed position, fine adjustment of the adjustable members of the support frames is made, if necessary, to have the construction form supported in a desired predetermined relationship, that is, height and elevation, to the bridge I-beam.

When the construction forms and support frames are in operative position secured to the I-beam, the concrete overhang roadway is poured and allowed to set or sufficiently rigidify so as to be self-sustaining to permit removal of support frames 12 and sections of construction forms 18. In removing the support frames and sections of the construction form from the bridge beams, it is only necessary to remove bolts 52 and 74 from clamping member 42 so that clamping member 42 and extendable member 70 pivot downwardly to the positions shown in FIG. 5. When this is completed for the respective clamping members 42 supporting a section of construction form 18, the support frames 42 with the section of construction form attached will slide away from I-beam 4, as shown in FIG. 5, breaking the connection between the section of construction form 18 and concrete overhang roadway 14. As the support frames and section of construction form move downwardly from the I-beam, they may be held by appropriate cables of a crane (not shown) and swing outwardly from the I-beam or they may be lowered onto the platform of an electric hoist unit (not shown), freeing the construction apparatus for reuse. The two support frames and section of construction form can now be erected as a unit to another bridge support I-beam.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to a specific embodiment in the interest of complete definiteness, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it may be embodied in a large variety of forms diverse from the one specifically shown and described in FIGS. 1-5. For example, one of the adjustable members may be omitted, so that only two adjustable members would be required. Particularly, the bracing function performed by adjustable member 36 could be provided by some other anchoring or retaining means, or adjustable member 38 could be omitted and adjustable member 36 connected to clamping member 44 or bracing member 40 at a place other than where adjustable member 34 is connected and so that adjustable members 34 and 36 are not parallel. Furthermore, extendable member 70 could be omitted or bolt 52 couldbe omitted so that only extendable member 70 would hold clamping member 42 in engagement with flange a of I-beam 4. Moreover, in order to have the clamping members accommodate widely different widths and heights of lower flanges of l-beams, the lower portion of the side plates of the clamping members may be enlarged or adjustment plates welded thereto to provide further series of holes through which bolts 52, 54, 64, 66, 74 and 77 could extend so that the clamping members could be moved further apart and- /0r further above the bracing member to accommodate large I-beams.

It should be also appreciated that the support frame of the present invention, which is employed with concrete I-beams in FIGS. 1-5, may also be employed at installations where steel I-beams are used. The bridge support frame of the invention is by no means confined to use with concrete I-beams. In FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, a support frame like the support frame of FIGS. 1-5 is shown with modified clamping members suitable for use with a steel I-beam 200 having an upper portion (not shown), a central vertical portion 202 and a lower portion 204 with laterally extending flanges 204a and 204b on opposite sides of lower portion 204. In the modification of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, parts similar to those of the support frame of FIGS. 1-5 are identified by the same number designator with the addition of primes thereto. The primary difference lies in the use of modified clamping members 206 and 208, which extend around flanges 204a and 204b of lower portion 204 of steel I-beam 200 to secure support frame 12' thereto.

More specifically, steel clamping member 208 comprises a pair of side plates 210 and 212, which are positioned on opposite sides of bracing member 40' and are fixed to bracing member 40' by two bolts, each designated 214, extending through the plates 210 and 212 and bracing member 40'. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the two bolts 214 extend through openings in side plates 210 and 212 which are provided by elongated vertically extending slots 216, which permit vertical movement of side plates 210 and 212 when bolts 214 are not tightly engaged with side plates 210 and 212. Clamping member 308 further include a tubular member 218, which has the same cross-section as bracing member 40, between side plates 210 and 212. Tubular member 218 is spaced a distance above bracing member 40' to overlay the top portion of flange 204b of I-beam 200. Tubular member 218 is secured between side plates 210 and 212 by bolts 220 extending through side plates 210 and 212 and tubular member 218. A bracket 222 is welded to the tops of side plates 210 and 212 and has brackets and secured thereto by pivot pin 142' passing through brackets 140' and 170' and bracket 222. In this arrangement, when bolts 214 permit movement of side plates 210 and 212 relative to the bracing member 40', tightening of bolt 268 to bear against bracing member 40' pulls tubular member 218 and bracing member 40' into engagement with the top and bottom surfaces of flange 204b of the I-beam.

Clamping member 206 comprises side plates 230 and 232, each side plate having two parts 230a and 230b and 232a and 232b, respectively, which are hinged together by hinges 234 and 236, respectively. Side plates 230 and 232 are positioned on opposite sides of bracing member 40' and secured to bracing member 40' by two bolts 238 extending through sides of hinges 234 and 236, plates 230 and 232 and bracing member 40'. The bolts 238 extend through aligned openings in side plates 230 and 232 and sides of hinges 234 and 236, the

'openings being provided by elongated vertically extending slots 240 which permit vertical movement of side plates 230 and 232 when bolts 238 are not tightly engaged. Clamping member 206 further includes a tubular member 242 which is positioned between parts 230b and 232b of plates 230 and 232 and has the same cross-section as bracing member 40'. Tubular member 242 is spaced a distance above bracing member 40' to overlay the top portion of flange 2040 of I-beam 204. Tubular member 242 is secured between parts 230b and 232b of side plates 230 and 232 by bolts 244 extending through side plates 230 and 232, sides of hinges 234 and 236 and tubular member 242.

A pivoted movement of tubular member 242 relative to bracing member 40' is provided, when bolts 244 are removed. For this purpose, the outer end of tubular member 240 is closed by plate 248 welded in the end of tubular member 242 and the outer end of bracing member 40' is closed by plate 250 welded in the end of bracing member 40. A hinge 252 has one side welded to closure plate 248 and tubular member 242 and its other side welded to closure plate 250 and bracing member 40'.

When clamping members 206 and 208 are fixed in position as shown in FIGS. 6, tubular members 218 and 242 and bracing member 40' should be firmly engaged with the top and bottom surfaces of flanges 204a and 2041; of I-beam 204. In order to provide this firm engagement clamping members 206 and 208 are provided with locking means 254 and 256, respectively. Locking means 254 includes a bracket 258, which has legs forming an L-shape and webs across the sides of the legs thereof, as shown in FIG. 6. One leg of bracket 258 extends across and is welded to side plates 230 and 232 beneath bracing member 40, and the other leg of bracket 258, which extends parallel to bracing member 40', has nut 260 welded around an opening, which has bolt 262 passing therethrough in threaded engagement with nut 260.

Locking means 256 is similar to locking means 254 and includes a bracket 264, which has legs forming an L-shape and webs across the sides of the legs thereof. One leg of bracket 264 extends across and is welded to side plates 210 and 212 beneath bracing member 40', and the other leg of bracket 264, which extends parallel to bracing member 40', has nut 266 welded around an opening, which has bolt 268 passing therethrough in threaded engagement with nut 266. In this arrangement of locking means 254 and 256, when bolts 214 and 238 through clamping members 208 and 206, respectively, are not tightly engaged or loosened, tightening of bolts 262 and 268 to bear against bracing member 40' pulls tubular members 242 and 218, respectively, and bracing member 40 against the top and bottom surfaces of flanges 204a and 20% of I-beam 200. With clamping members 206 and 208 locked against flanges 204a and 204b, bolts 238 and 214 may be tightened to further fix clamping members 206 and 208, respectively, and hence the support frame in operative position. Of course, the adjustable members of the support frame are adjusted as previously described.

When clamping members 206 and 208 are in operative position on the lower flanges 204a and 204b of beam 200 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the overhang portion of the roadway (not shown) is poured and allowed to set sufficiently to permit removal of support frame 12' and section of the construction form (not shown), as described in regard to FIGS. 1-5. After the overhang portion of the bridge roadway has set, the first step in removal of the embodiment of the invention in FIGS. 6-8 is to break the connection between the section of construction form and the concrete roadway. This is accomplished by rotating the adjustable members to lower the carrier means and hence the section of construction form to be clear of the overhang portion of the roadway. Thereafter, bolts 262 and 268 of locking means 254 and 256, respectively, are loosened, and bolts 238 and 214 through clamping members 206 and 208, respectively, are loosened to relieve the pressure of tubular members 242 and 218 and bracing member 40' on lower flanges 204a and 204b of the I-beam. The next step is to remove bolts 244 from clamping member 206 so that tubular member 242 can be pivoted about hinge 252 to the alternative position shown in FIG. 6 and side plates 23% and 2321) can be pivoted about hinges 234 and 236, respectively, to the positions shown in FIG. 8. With tubular member 242 and side plates 230b and 232b in the positions shown in FIG. 8,

the support frame or frames and section of construction form can be moved toward the overhang side of I-beam 200 freeing the support frames and section of construction form for reuse on another l-beam. As the support frames and connected section of construction form are moved outwardly from the I-beam, they may be held by appropriate cables of a crane (not shown) and swing outwardly from the I-beam or they may be lowered onto the platform of an electric hoist unit, for example.

It will be observed that the present invention provides an overhang construction apparatus capable of adjustment over a wide range to be usable from one bridge installation to another. The steel construction apparatus of the invention requires a minimum of adjustments for erection and stripping from the bridge beams and is indefinitely reusable. Furthermore, in erection and stripping of the apparatus, all of the basic structural parts of the apparatus remain held together, thereby eliminating loss of parts of the apparatus which is a major problem at bridge construction sites. Moreover, use of the present construction apparatus, which is strong and versatile, enables a substantial savings in the cost of labor and materials ordinarily required for bridge construction.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it may be embodied in a large variety of forms different from the ones specifically shown and described without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for use in supporting structure overhanging to one side of a single support member, the support member having an upper portion and a lower portion with side flanges, comprising:

engaging means for securing the apparatus to the lower portion of the support member to support the apparatus and being out of contact with the overhang structure;

carrier means for providing a vertically movable coupling between the overhang structure and the engaging means on one side of the support member; and

at least two adjustable members each connected at one end to the engaging means and at the other end to the carrier means for moving the carrier means to support the overhang structure in a predetermined relationship to the upper portion of the support member.

2. The apparatus of claim I in which the engaging means is provided by clamping means adapted to secure the apparatus to the flanges of the lower portion of the support member.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the engaging means includes clamping means having a first clamping member for extending around one of the flanges of the support member and a second clamping member for extending around the other of the flanges of the support member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the engaging means includes a bracing member adapted to extend beneath the lower portion of the support member, the engaging means further comprising a first clamping member connected to the bracing member on one side of the support member and extending in overlying relation to one of the flanges and a second clamping memher connected to the bracing member on the other side of the support member and extending in overlying relation to the other of the flanges of the support member.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which the first clamping member includes releasable locking means for permitting pivoted movement of the first clamping member relative to the bracing member for removal of the apparatus from the support member.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the first clamping member further includes hinge means for permitting the pivoted movement of the first clamping mem her when the locking means is released.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the engaging means includes a bracing member extending outwardly on the overhang side of the support member, the carrier means extending outwardly from the upper portion of the support member, the at least two adjustable members including a first adjustable member connected between the engaging means and the carrier means and a second adjustable member laterally spaced from the first adjustable member and connected between the carrier means and the bracing member.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the at leasttwo adjustable members include a third adjustable member connected between the carrier means and engaging means, the third adjustable member being oriented at an angle to at least one of the first and second adjustable members.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the engaging means includes clamping means having a first clamping member for extending around one of the flanges and a second clamping member for extending around the other of the flanges of the support member.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 in which the first adjustable member is connected at one end to the carrier means and at the other end to the clamping member extending around the flange of the support member on the overhang side of the support member.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the bracing member is adapted to extend beneath the support member, the engaging means further including a first clamping member connected to the bracing member on one side of the support member and extending in overlying relation to one of the flanges and a second clamping member connected to the bracing member on the other side of the support member and extending in overlying relation to the other of the flanges of the support member.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which the second clamping member is located on the overhang side of the support member, the third adjustable member being connected at one end to the carrier means and at the other end to one of the second clamping member and the bracing member.

13. Bridge construction apparatus for use in supporting structure forming the overhang portion of a bridge roadway to one side of a single beam which has an upper portion and a lower portion with side flanges, comprising:

engaging means for securing the apparatus to the lower portion of the beam to support the apparatus and being out of contact with the overhang structwo,

carrier means for providing a vertically movable coupling between the overhang structure and the engaging means on one side of the beam; and

at least two adjustable members each connected at one end to the engaging means and at the other end to the carrier means for moving the carrier means to support the overhang structure in a predetermined relationship to the upper portion of the beam.

14. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 13 in which the engaging means is provided by clamping means adapted to secure the apparatus to the flanges of the lower portion of the beam.

15. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 13 in which the engaging means includes clamping means having a first clamping member for extending around one of the side flanges and a second clamping member for extending around the other of the side flanges of the beam.

16. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 13 in which the engaging means includes a bracing member adapted to extend beneath the lower portion of the beam, the engaging means further comprising a first clamping member connected to the bracing member on one side of the beam and extending in overlying relation to one of the side flanges and a second clamping member connected to the bracing member on the other side of the beam and extending in overlying relation to the other of the side flanges of the beam.

17. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 16 in which the first clamping member includes releasable locking means for permitting pivoted movement of the first clamping member relative to the bracing member for removal of the apparatus from the beam.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 in which the first clamping member further includes hinge means for permitting the pivoted movement of the first clamping member when the locking means is released.

19. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 13 in which the engaging means includes a bracing member extending outwardly on the overhang side of the beam, the carrier means extending outwardly from the upper portion of the beam, the at least two adjustable members including a first adjustable member connected between the engaging means and the carrier means and a second adjustable member spaced from the first adjustable member and connected between the carrier means and bracing member.

20. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 19 in which the at least two adjustable members include a third adjustable member connected between the carrier means and engaging means, the third adjustable member being oriented at an angle to at least one of the first and second adjustable members.

21. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 13 in which the engaging means includes a bracing member extending beneath the beam, the engaging means further including a first clamping member connected to the bracing member on one side of the beam and extending in overlying relation to one of the flanges and a second clamping member connected to the bracing member on the other side of the beam and extending in overlying relation to the other of the flanges of the beam.

22. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 21 in which the second clamping member is located on the overhang side of the beam, the bracing member extends outwardly on the overhang side of the beam, and the at least two adjustable members include a first adjustable member connected at one end to the carrier means and at its other end to the second clamping member, a second adjustable member laterally spaced from the first adjustable member and connected at one end to the carrier means and at its other end to the bracing member, and a third adjustable member connected at one end to the carrier means and at its other end to one of the second clamping member and the bracing member, the third adjustable member being oriented at an angle to at least one of the first and second adjustable members.

23. The apparatus of claim 12 in which the adjustable members each comprise a first tubular member and a second tubular member slidable within the first tubular member, at least one of the elements having a plurality of openings and the other element having an opening which mates with the plurality of openings as the elements are moved relative to each other for fixing the extension of each of the adjustable members.

24. The apparatus of claim 12 in which the adjustable members each comprise an elongated tubular portion having a pair of oppositely threaded portions, one at each end of the tubular portion, and a pair of oppositely threaded members one mating with each of the threaded portions, so that the overall length of each of the adjustable members is separately adjustable by rotating the elongated tubular portion about its axis.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 in which the adjustable members each comprise a first tubular member and a second tubular member, at least one of the elements having a plurality of openings and the other element having an opening which mates with the plurality of openings as the elements are moved relative to each other for fixing the extension of each of the adjustable members, the adjustable members being pivotally connected at their opposite ends to the carrier means and the engaging means.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 in which the adjustable members each comprise an elongated tubular portion having a pair of oppositely threaded portions, one at each end of the tubular portion, and a pair of oppositely threaded members one mating with each of the threaded portions, so that the overall length of each of the adjustable members is separately adjustable by rotating the elongated tubular portion about its axis, the adjustable members being pivotally connected at their opposite ends to the carrier means and the engaging 

1. Apparatus for use in supporting structure overhanging to one side of a single support member, the support member having an upper portion and a lower portion with side flanges, comprising: engaging means for securing the apparatus to the lower portion of the support member to support the apparatus and being out of contact with the overhang structure; carrier means for providing a vertically movable coupling between the overhang structure and the engaging means on one side of the support member; and at least two adjustable members each connected at one end to the engaging means and at the other end to the carrier means for moving the carrier means to support the overhang structure in a predetermined relationship to the upper portion of the support member.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the engaging means is provided by clamping means adapted to secure the apparatus to the flanges of the lower portion of the support member.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the engaging means includes clamping means having a first clamping member for extending around one of the flanges of the support member and a second clamping member for extending around the other of the flanges of the support member.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the engaging means includes a bracing member adapted to extend beneath the lower portion of the support member, the engaging means further comprising a first clamping member connected to the bracing member on one side of the support member and extending in overlying relation to one of the flanges and a second clamping member connected to the bracing member on the other side of the support member and extending in overlying relation to the other of the flanges of the support member.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which the first clamping member includes releasable locking means for permitting pivoted movement of the first clamping member relative to the bracing member for removal of the apparatus from the support member.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the first clamping member further includes hinge means for permitting the pivoted movement of the first clamping member when the locking means is released.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the engaging means includes a bracing member extending outwardly on the overhang side of the support member, the carrier means extending outwardly from the upper portion of the support member, the at least two adjustable members including a first adjustable member connected between the engaging means and the carrier means and a second aDjustable member laterally spaced from the first adjustable member and connected between the carrier means and the bracing member.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the at least two adjustable members include a third adjustable member connected between the carrier means and engaging means, the third adjustable member being oriented at an angle to at least one of the first and second adjustable members.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the engaging means includes clamping means having a first clamping member for extending around one of the flanges and a second clamping member for extending around the other of the flanges of the support member.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 in which the first adjustable member is connected at one end to the carrier means and at the other end to the clamping member extending around the flange of the support member on the overhang side of the support member.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the bracing member is adapted to extend beneath the support member, the engaging means further including a first clamping member connected to the bracing member on one side of the support member and extending in overlying relation to one of the flanges and a second clamping member connected to the bracing member on the other side of the support member and extending in overlying relation to the other of the flanges of the support member.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which the second clamping member is located on the overhang side of the support member, the third adjustable member being connected at one end to the carrier means and at the other end to one of the second clamping member and the bracing member.
 13. Bridge construction apparatus for use in supporting structure forming the overhang portion of a bridge roadway to one side of a single beam which has an upper portion and a lower portion with side flanges, comprising: engaging means for securing the apparatus to the lower portion of the beam to support the apparatus and being out of contact with the overhang structure; carrier means for providing a vertically movable coupling between the overhang structure and the engaging means on one side of the beam; and at least two adjustable members each connected at one end to the engaging means and at the other end to the carrier means for moving the carrier means to support the overhang structure in a predetermined relationship to the upper portion of the beam.
 14. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 13 in which the engaging means is provided by clamping means adapted to secure the apparatus to the flanges of the lower portion of the beam.
 15. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 13 in which the engaging means includes clamping means having a first clamping member for extending around one of the side flanges and a second clamping member for extending around the other of the side flanges of the beam.
 16. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 13 in which the engaging means includes a bracing member adapted to extend beneath the lower portion of the beam, the engaging means further comprising a first clamping member connected to the bracing member on one side of the beam and extending in overlying relation to one of the side flanges and a second clamping member connected to the bracing member on the other side of the beam and extending in overlying relation to the other of the side flanges of the beam.
 17. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 16 in which the first clamping member includes releasable locking means for permitting pivoted movement of the first clamping member relative to the bracing member for removal of the apparatus from the beam.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17 in which the first clamping member further includes hinge means for permitting the pivoted movement of the first clamping member when the locking means is released.
 19. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 13 in which the engaging means includes a bracing member extending outwardly on the ovErhang side of the beam, the carrier means extending outwardly from the upper portion of the beam, the at least two adjustable members including a first adjustable member connected between the engaging means and the carrier means and a second adjustable member spaced from the first adjustable member and connected between the carrier means and bracing member.
 20. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 19 in which the at least two adjustable members include a third adjustable member connected between the carrier means and engaging means, the third adjustable member being oriented at an angle to at least one of the first and second adjustable members.
 21. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 13 in which the engaging means includes a bracing member extending beneath the beam, the engaging means further including a first clamping member connected to the bracing member on one side of the beam and extending in overlying relation to one of the flanges and a second clamping member connected to the bracing member on the other side of the beam and extending in overlying relation to the other of the flanges of the beam.
 22. The bridge construction apparatus of claim 21 in which the second clamping member is located on the overhang side of the beam, the bracing member extends outwardly on the overhang side of the beam, and the at least two adjustable members include a first adjustable member connected at one end to the carrier means and at its other end to the second clamping member, a second adjustable member laterally spaced from the first adjustable member and connected at one end to the carrier means and at its other end to the bracing member, and a third adjustable member connected at one end to the carrier means and at its other end to one of the second clamping member and the bracing member, the third adjustable member being oriented at an angle to at least one of the first and second adjustable members.
 23. The apparatus of claim 12 in which the adjustable members each comprise a first tubular member and a second tubular member slidable within the first tubular member, at least one of the elements having a plurality of openings and the other element having an opening which mates with the plurality of openings as the elements are moved relative to each other for fixing the extension of each of the adjustable members.
 24. The apparatus of claim 12 in which the adjustable members each comprise an elongated tubular portion having a pair of oppositely threaded portions, one at each end of the tubular portion, and a pair of oppositely threaded members one mating with each of the threaded portions, so that the overall length of each of the adjustable members is separately adjustable by rotating the elongated tubular portion about its axis.
 25. The apparatus of claim 22 in which the adjustable members each comprise a first tubular member and a second tubular member, at least one of the elements having a plurality of openings and the other element having an opening which mates with the plurality of openings as the elements are moved relative to each other for fixing the extension of each of the adjustable members, the adjustable members being pivotally connected at their opposite ends to the carrier means and the engaging means.
 26. The apparatus of claim 22 in which the adjustable members each comprise an elongated tubular portion having a pair of oppositely threaded portions, one at each end of the tubular portion, and a pair of oppositely threaded members one mating with each of the threaded portions, so that the overall length of each of the adjustable members is separately adjustable by rotating the elongated tubular portion about its axis, the adjustable members being pivotally connected at their opposite ends to the carrier means and the engaging means. 